Shayla Lawz

Shayla Lawz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Media Studies within the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY. She is a writer and interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of text, sound, and performance.

Her educational background includes:

• MFA in Literary Arts/Fiction from Brown University
• BA in English from Rutgers University

Her research spans Creative Writing, Poetry, Interdisciplinary Art, Sound Art, and Performance Art with strong connections to Media Studies and contemporary literature. She explores hybrid forms where textual, sonic, and performative elements converge, often engaging with digital humanities methodologies and African American poetic traditions. Her work critically examines speculative narratives and identity through experimental media formats.

Her notable recognitions include:

• Cave Canem Fellowship
• Jack Jones Literary Arts Fellowship
• CAAPP Fellowship and 2024 Dream Space Residency
• DiSC Fellowship at Rutgers-Camden
• Hurston/Wright Foundation Inaugural Writer-in-Residence (2022)
• 2020 Autumn House Poetry Prize for speculation, n.
• Pushcart Prize nomination

As an Assistant Professor at Pratt, she mentors emerging artists and writers while maintaining an active creative practice. Her work appears in McSweeney’s Quarterly, The Poetry Foundation, Catapult, and Obsidian, with performances at Brown University, Rutgers University, and The University of Arizona Poetry Center. She has also participated in virtual platforms including The Poetry Project and Playground Coffee Shop.